Well, Wood and Metal were considered elements in the Chinese element system (which was Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, and Metal), so we're still discussing whether or not to combine the European and Chinese element models or not.

My brother wants to keep things simple, and prevent the number of elements from spiraling out of control. He's doing seven elements at the most, so I'm not entirely sure what he's got planned. I'll ask him tomorrow after work.

Basically what's going on is this: my brother's trying to revamp Dungeons & Dragons' magic system, so that each magic-using class (Cleric, Paladin, Druid, Sorcerer, Necromancer, and Wizard) uses different classical elements for their magic. Right now, we're stuck between choosing a system that uses five elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Spirit), and one that uses seven (Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Wood, Metal, Spirit). If we go with the five element system, the spells for plant-based magic get split up - with some plant spells ending up listed as "Water" magic, and others as "Earth" magic. The same rules apply to metal-based magic, only with Fire replacing Water. If we go with a seven element system, however, all plant spells will fall under the element of Wood, and all metal spells falling under the element of Metal.

My brother and I were working on a magic system for a Tabletop RPG, and we hit a little snag. When discussing spells regarding plants and metal, we weren't able to decide if we should make Wood and Metal their own elements, or if we should have it so that some plant spells would fall under Earth, while others would fall under Water, and that some metal spells would fall under Fire, and others under Earth.
So, do we go with a 5-element system (Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Spirit) or a 7-element system (Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Wood, Metal, Spirit)?

A while ago, I had plans for a "Frollo Show"-style video series called "The Wacky Misadventures of Jack Sparrow", wherein Jack Sparrow would go around looking for cash, teaming up with and/or pissing off various characters from other works. Unfortunately, these plans fell through. However, I was able to make an "Animal House"-style epilogue video, detailing what happened to the characters who would've survived the final battle.
And who knows. Maybe someone with the right skills will pick up on this, and "The Wacky Misadventures of Jack Sparrow" will live again.
Anyway, here's the video:
Epilogue.mp4

As ASVS turns 20 years old today (counting it's time as a Usenet group), I felt it's time to celebrate that monumentous occasion with a story thread.
Khas climbed up the slopes of Mount Ballpuncher, the forest sheltering him from the worst of both the sun and rain. Normally, Khas liked sunshowers, but hiking through this one proved to be quite the chore. His Starfleet uniform was soaked from the rain, and the sun's rays were making him sweat profusely. So, with his jacket slung over his shoulder, Khas marched onward, the phaser pistol, tricorder, and lightsaber clanking against each other as he continued his journey. He sighed, thinking back over the years he had been involved in this wonderful, glorious mess, in any way, shape, or form. From his childhood - when he had thought up the oh-so-cleverly named "Trek Wars", detailing how Captains James T. Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard (along with their ships and crews) had visited the galaxy far, far away, to help Luke Skywalker and the other Rebels against the Empire - to his teenage years - when he had first actually gotten involved after discovering the community as a whole - to the present - the friends and enemies he'd made, the stories he'd heard, and the time time his ship had crashed in the kingdom of dark elves. To think that, despite having no knowledge of ASVS at the time, he had thought up "Trek Wars" at more or less the same time it was founded!
As the forest began to thin, Khas thought of all the communities that had sprung from that old Usenet group, alt.startrek.vs.starwars. Some, like Spacebattles, TrekBBS, Starfleet Jedi, StarDestroyer.Net, ST-v-SW, and Troll Kingdom, were still around to this day. While others, like Turbolaser Commentaries, ObsidianOrder, STrek-v-SWars, and of course, Trek Wars: The Furry Conflict, had withered and passed on, perhaps to be resurrected at a later date, but for now, dead as a doornail. And yet, through all of this, through the fire, the rage, and the chaos, ASVS had endured. Even now, in its reduced state, it continued where others had floundered, and, who knew? Perhaps one day it could reclaim its greatness. There was certainly more activity now than there had been recently, so it wasn't entirely an unreasonable assumption.
At last, Khas had come to the clearing. The peak of Mt. Ballpuncher was in sight now, thirty meters away at the most. Khas grinned, and slowly but surely, he began walking faster as he approached the summit. This was it, just a little longer now. His fast walk turned into a jog, and then a run. So close now. There was no time left to think, just run. Run the last twenty meters. Run the last fifteen. The last ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Khas came to a stop at the very peak, and caught his breath. Looking down from the mountaintop, he saw several villages, only barely visible at this altitude. These villages lay right at the border between the Forest of Insanity and the Ocean of Indignation, who's waves ground the Rocky Shore of Fortitude into the Sandy Beach of Umbrage. Looking up, Khas saw a sight he had dreamed about since childhood. A refit Constitution-class starship flew lazily overhead, escorted by a squadron of X-Wing fighters. Feeling no small amount of awe and pride, Khas did the one thing he could do. He raised his right fist up to the heavens, and extended his middle finger - a gesture some called the "ASVS Salute". Taking in a deep breath, he let loose an ancient battle cry, one that could strike fear into the hearts of the Old Ones themselves.
"CONCESSION...." he began, giving the universe time to hear his cry. "ACCEPTED!"